Azernews.Az

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Wednesday that it continued to attack the Syrian government's military targets to prevent reinforcements from being sent to the Suwayda area in southern Syria, Azernews reports.

"Over the past 24 hours, Air Force aircraft have attacked and continue to strike tanks, rocket launchers, weapons, and armed pickup trucks equipped with heavy machine guns that are heading toward the As-Suwayda," the military said on X, while also releasing footage of the strikes.

Earlier today, Israeli forces also struck a military facility in Damascus.

Syrian government forces entered the majority-Druze city of Sweida on Tuesday with the stated aim of overseeing a ceasefire agreed with Druze community leaders after clashes with local Bedouin tribes left more than 100 people dead.

However, witnesses reported that the government forces joined with the Bedouin in attacking Druze fighters and civilians in a bloody rampage through the city.

The fighting marks the most serious outbreak of violence in Syria since government forces battled Druze fighters in Sweida province and near Damascus in April and May leaving more than 100 people dead.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz called on Damascus to "leave the Druze in Sweida alone".

"As we have made clear and warned, Israel will not abandon the Druze in Syria and will enforce the demilitarisation policy we have decided on," he said in a statement.

Syrian forces should withdraw, he added, and promised no let-up in Israeli military attacks until that happened, saying Israel would "raise the level of responses against the regime if the message is not understood".

Shortly afterwards, the Israeli military said it had hit Syria's military headquarters in Damascus.

"A short while ago, the (Israeli military) struck the entrance of the Syrian regime's military headquarters in the area of Damascus in Syria," it said in a statement.

Syrian state television reported that two people were wounded in central Damascus, without giving a more precise location.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Wednesday that his country's armed forces are operating to "save" the Druze population in Syria and "eliminate the gangs of the regime."

The prime minister described the situation in the city of Suwayda and southwestern Syria as "very serious" and asked the local Druze, who are Israeli citizens, not to cross the border. "You are risking your lives; you could be murdered, you could be taken hostage, and you are impeding the efforts of the IDF. Therefore I ask of you: return to your homes and let the IDF take action," he wrote via his office's account on X.